Thursday, July 20, 2006

HEALTH AND DEATH - CRAWLEY OBITUARIES - CRAWLEY OBSERVER - JULY 19

"DEATH PACT" - FRONT PAGE. Yet another suicide in the town, treated with voyeuristic 'sunsationalism'. Perhaps it would be more useful to readers to look at the causes of suicide - the reasons why - as well as ways to help. This is a serious HEALTH issue affecting the community and it should be looked at in more detail, rather than a picture of a police car outside the home with the words : "TRAGEDY - A police car outside the Woodfield Road house." No further comment.

DEATH OF BABY JOSHUA - PAGE 3. Another tragedy, and another HEALTH issue, relating to lack of hospital facilities in the town. Joshua's mother Sarah : "I do feel angry, but I don't blame anyone. It is the system that is at fault." The 'system' where nobody appears accountable apparently. Well, the 'system' is a human construct, and therefore the people who constructed the 'system' should be held accountable. Or perhaps we should change the 'system'. That depends on us...

DEATH OF DENNIS AND BETTY WALDE - PAGE 5. In contrast to the deaths on the front page, the death of Dennis Walde (on the morning of his wife's funeral) was sensitively well written by Claire Hutchinson. Their only son, Duncan, had died in a road accident "some years ago". It seems Dennis simply died of a broken heart. Betty is in the Obituaries in the Observer, but strangely absent in Crawley News.

About Me

A man of many parts, most of which don't work - especially my ears (I am very deaf)
Married (to Elaine) Two teenage boys (Peter and David)
A Short Letter Writer (that is, A Very Short, Short Story Writer)